


Heroes

by WhiteravenGreywolf



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Everyone is Dead, Headcanon, Headcanon meet Modern AU, Kinda Reincarnation, Meeting their other selves, Modern AU, Multi, Multi Dimension, but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-09
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-03-29 03:42:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13918635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteravenGreywolf/pseuds/WhiteravenGreywolf
Summary: They fought on and on but there was nothing they could do to stop this weapon of mass destruction. Now they just have to accept their fate. Yet in another dimension, everything is just fine. They are only high school students, and they are not ready to see what their other self has seen. But they won't be given a choice in that matter.





	1. Prologue: Standing on the Edge

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-Posted from Fanfiction.net  
> Definitely one of the most out-there stories I've ever written. It's basically "Should I write a headcanon or a Modern AU? Wait, I can do both!" But honestly, it's also one of my favorites, so I hope you'll enjoy it! Fair warning: This story was written in June of 2017, so you won't find any mention of Doomfist, Moira or Brigitte in it, nor of any hero which will be added after March 2018.

**Prologue**  
  
Standing on the Edge

  
  
It had taken divine powers for them all to meet, or so it seemed. All twenty-four of them, mortal enemies, longtime friends, lovers, brothers. Now on the brink of destruction, as the light grew stronger, there wasn't anyone to act. Those that hadn't stopped breathing, that hadn't been shattered before, were broken beyond belief. Still, a few tried. They crawled to the control panel, to the central computer, to the machine itself, believing that a single press of a button, a single strike or a bullet would be enough to stop it. A lightning exploded from the column of white light illuminating them.  
  
Mercy shivered. She'd taken a bad fall, and knew for a fact that half of her ribs where broken, and one had pierced her lung. Breathing was becoming harder with each passing second. Still, with what she had left of her staff, she crawled forward, toward the machine. She ignored the tears falling on her bloodied cheeks. They fell more intensely every time she passed one of her fallen friends.  
  
Tracer could feel it. Time. It passed around her and pushed her every which way, and there was nothing she could hold on to. Then her chrono-accelerator turned on again, and she fell to the ground, all of her injuries suddenly coming back to her. Her broken wrist, the bullet hole in her leg, and that stupid piece of metal logged in her side, which had torn one of the straps holding her accelerator. She saw only devastation in the bright light of the column, a useless one as none of them had managed to accomplish their goal, and shut the machine off. But maybe she could turn its power off. She would probably be electrocuted in the process. She choked on a sob. Sorry Em, she thought, I won't make it in time for our date, this time.  
  
Hanzo thought he had passed out from pain a while back. When his arm had been cut off, more precisely. The burning pain coming from his shoulder had almost dissipated by now, mixed with the pain he felt for his other wounds. The large cut on his chest, the arrow in his calf. He thought he had bled out a long time ago, but he still managed to stand. Only then did he notice Genji. In all this chaos and bloody desolation, he could only see Genji, or what was left of him. A dead metal puppet, his katana still in his inert hand, only a few feet away from the light. His mask had been taken off, and Hanzo felt those lifeless eyes staring at him. If this was to be his last action, then so be it. He stumbled forward until he could pick up his brother's broken blade.  
  
Symmetra was powerless. Her arm had been broken. Both of her arms had been broken, actually, but her flesh one she didn't really care about. Blue liquid poured out of the torn apart tubes. Her hand had to be lying somewhere, she knew. So she crawled around, her vision obscured by blood. She would have stood up, but the bullet in her liver wouldn't allow it. How she wasn't dead to begin with, she didn't know. The broken metal of her arm hit what she first thought was a wall before she realized it was the control panel. Maybe it wasn't too late if only she could stand up, if only she still had arms strong enough to carry her.  
  
Widowmaker was almost surprised to find she was the less wounded one of the group. She had only lost an eye. She had passed Ana's body as she had walked closer to the beam of light and almost wished the old sniper could have commented on it, told her how it was just retribution. She wished it badly, but the old woman had expired quite a while ago already. With her only eye, she surveyed the room. Amongst lifeless bodies was Angela, crawling her way to the light, whereas Hanzo was limping ahead of her. Tracer was desperately pulling on every cable she could grab when she didn't disappear completely. Symmetra was desperately trying to stand up to reach the controls. It was her Widowmaker decided to help. There was no helping the others. She came to stand next to the woman and helped her up. She couldn't see her well, now that she was leaning on her left shoulder, but Widowmaker thought it was for the better.  
  
"Can you do something about it?"  
  
"I'll try..." Symmetra let out in a breath.  
  
Widowmaker brought her to the control panel, and supported her, while Symmetra's remaining fingers flew over various buttons and levers.  
  
"It's not working."  
  
"It won't work."  
  
Widowmaker had to turn completely to her left, bringing Symmetra along with her, to see a tired Sombra walking up to them. She was in rough shape, her belt empty of translocators, the lights on her head off. She was so bloodied it almost seemed she had rolled in someone else's blood. Widowmaker could only guess whose.  
  
"It's too late. All we can do now is wait."  
  
Widowmaker thought Symmetra would protest, that she wouldn't give up just yet, but not a single word passed through her lips. It was Widowmaker who asked:  
  
"What is going to happen now?"  
  
"I have no idea, araña, but I doubt we'll live long enough to find out."  
  
To Widowmaker's questioning look, Sombra pushed her jacket aside, revealing a large piece of metal stuck in her belly. Just the sight of it made Widowmaker grimace.  
  
"Yep. I don't want to pull it out just yet. I want to see what is gonna happen first."  
  
She let herself fall against the wall and winced at the pain.  
  
"Then maybe, who knows, I'll come back as something else. I've always wanted to be a cat."  
  
Widowmaker glanced back at the beam of light, and those, desperate enough, who were still trying to stop it, among bolts of lightning and the hot air suffocating them. She carried Symmetra and gently laid her next to Sombra. The architect let her head fall on Sombra's shoulder, too tired to stand straight any longer.  
  
"I hope I'll be reborn as a bird... But for all my luck, I'll be a pigeon..."  
  
"I don't know, I think you'll make a nice peacock," Sombra replied.  
  
Widowmaker glanced once again at the light, and the control panel, indicating that it was almost charged to its maximum. She sighed and sat next to Sombra.  
  
There was a sudden flash when Hanzo tried to hit the beam with a katana, and he was thrown back violently. His burned body landed against the wall, and he fell on someone else's corpse. Neither of the three girls could see who it was, but they didn't really care either.  
  
"What about you, araña, what do you want to be, in your next life?"  
  
"Human." she simply replied.  
  
Sombra smiled.  
  
"I like that."  
  
The beam finished charging just as Mercy tried to hit the bottom of the machine with her staff. Just as Tracer finally managed to pull out one of the plugs. Just as Symmetra closed her eyes, never to open them again. The beam suddenly drowned them all, forcing Sombra to close her eyes as well. Only Widowmaker kept her eye open, staring blankly ahead.


	2. The Last of the Usual Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In another universe, everything is fine and our heroes are going home after a long day at school.

**Chapter 1**  
  
The Last of the Usual Days

  
  
Amélie blinked as the sunlight hit her face. She had just exited the gymnasium after an hour of P. E., and hadn't bothered to stop by the locker room. It was her last class of the day, so she would go home and change there, as usual. But first, she needed to pick up the things she had left in her locker. She made her way inside once again, and ignored the people overflowing the corridors. They gladly ignored her as well. She had always thought that she looked too cold to make friends, and there probably was a part of truth in that.  
  
She reached her locker and opened it easily. Inside were her books and notebooks from her morning classes, which she quickly placed in her bag. She also considered longly whether she should leave some of those books which she wouldn't need for tomorrow. It really depended whether she was motivated enough to do her homework for the days to come, or just for the following day. The answer was usually the same, and she emptied her bag once again, leaving behind what she wouldn't need.  
  
Just as she was closing her locker, someone came to stand next to her. She turned around and frowned. Here was Satya, standing tall as usual, with a handful of papers in hand.  
  
"Amélie, this is the list of possible subjects for our presentation."  
  
She gave three pieces of paper to Amélie, keeping another three to herself.  
  
"Now, you wouldn't happen to know where is Olivia? I need to give her the list."  
  
Amélie shrugged, and stuffed carelessly the papers in her bag, making Satya grimace.  
  
"Not really. Have you tried the computing club?"  
  
"Their meeting doesn't start for another half an hour."  
  
"Then she should be there."  
  
On those words, Amélie turned around and walked toward the exit. Satya declared, loud enough to be heard:  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow, we need to start the presentation as soon as possible."  
  
"Yeah, yeah..." Amélie replied in a low voice, too low for Satya to hear.  
  
Satya went on her own, her proud appearance parting the sea of students walking toward the exit. She made sure she still had enough papers for Sombra, and hadn't accidentally given one twice to Amélie. When she was satisfied, she focused once again on her destination, the school basement, where a lot of the geekiest club met twice a week. Not that she would know much about that, as she wasn't part of any club, and kept her geeky interests to herself.  
  
She readjusted her glasses up the bridge of her nose, and walked down the stairs, her heels clicking on the concrete steps. She was glad for the bright light illuminating the hallway, as she passed one door after another until she found the one where a sign saying Computing Club had been glued on. She knocked and opened the door. Just as Amélie had predicted, Olivia was already here, but not in front of a computer like she had assumed she would be. Instead, she was seated close to another known member of the club, Hana. Too close for comfort, actually, and it made Satya pursed her lips. Sombra's smirked graced her lips as she looked at her.  
  
"Hey, Preciosa, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Olivia, I've come to give you the list of our possible subject for the presentation. You should give it a look and decide what subjects would interest you before we start working on it tomorrow."  
  
"What, tomorrow? You know it's due in two weeks, right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Sombra stood up and held out a hand to take the papers, brushing purposefully her hand with Satya's, just to see the taller girl blush, and pretend that she wasn't blushing.  
  
"And please, I've told you a thousand times, it's Sombra."  
  
"Continue to call me Preciosa, and I'll continue to call you Olivia."  
  
"Touché."  
  
Sombra let her eyes skim over the list quickly, and a smirk spread across her lips. Half of those subjects were about space, and the other half about atoms, in one form or another.  
  
"Alright, I'll be ready for tomorrow. Thank you, Preciosa."  
  
"I will let you know when and where we'll meet, Olivia."  
  
Satya left the room with a small smile on her face, whereas Sombra was smirking. She folded the papers and placed them in her bag before she took her seat next to Hana once again.  
  
"You know she'll never ask you first, right?" the younger girl inquired.  
  
"Oh, I know. I just want to toy a bit more with her. I'll ask her once we're done with the presentation. Amélie is going to kill me if I start flirting too much. Anyway, where were we?"  
  
"The hangman quest?"  
  
"Alright, let's go!"  
  
Just as Hana was pressing continue, and the screen had unfrozen, showing Gerald of Rivia finishing his sword move and cutting a thief in half, someone else came poking their head through the door.  
  
"Hey, Hana!"  
  
Hana huffed and paused again, while both girls looked at the door. Lena opened the door entirely but stood on the threshold, her hair even messier than usual.  
  
"You got club this afternoon?"  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
"Em has volleyball, so I thought we could hang out."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"S'okay, I'll find something to do."  
  
"Wait, you don't have tracks?"  
  
Lena was about to answer, then she thought longly about it, her face changing from uncertainty, to confusion, to worry, and finally she asked:  
  
"What day are we, again?"  
  
"Thursday." Hana declared.  
  
Lena let out a relieved huff.  
  
"Phew! Not, I don't. It's tomorrow. Okay, I'll let you be then. See ya'!"  
  
"Bye Lena!"  
  
Lena closed the door and made her way back up the stairs. No matter the situation, she always had a spring in her steps. She stopped by her locker to double check she hadn't forgotten anything, then considered going home. But the more she thought about it, the more it depressed her that there wasn't much she could do once she was home. Emily had promised she would stop by once volleyball was over, but Lena thought of an even better idea. She would watch her play and cheer her up, at least until the coach glared at her and asked her to shut it. She headed toward the gymnasium.  
  
On her way there, she came across a very hurried Angela, who had probably been held up by one student or another, seeing as she was helping more than a few with their homework. She smiled at the blond, and the blond gave her a smile as well.  
  
Angela had already taken everything out of her locker, and was walking quickly toward the parking. All buses were probably already gone, meaning that she would have to walk home, but it wasn't such a pain. It would give her the time to calm down a bit, since she had been attacked by three of her classmates with homework trouble just as she exited the classroom. She had agreed to tutor other students, but sometimes she regretted it a bit. The only reason she had begun was because she knew Fareeha had problems in maths, and then it had escalated in half a class meeting in the library to listen to her explaining again what the teacher had just told them.  
  
Speaking of the devil. Just as Angela was about to push the door to exit the main building, another door opened and Fareeha walked in, her duffel bag over her shoulder. She stopped when she noticed the blond and smiled.  
  
"Hey, Angela, you're going home?"  
  
"Hi, Fareeha. Yes, although I'm pretty sure I've missed the bus already."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I mean, I could bring you home, if you want. I just have basketball practice before."  
  
Angela blushed uncontrollably. She knew Fareeha had basketball practice, she had even considered going to watch her, but she thought it would have been weird. Seeing that Angela hadn't replied yet, Fareeha stammered:  
  
"I mean... If you don't want to... but maybe you have things to do and you don't want to wait... It's okay..."  
  
"No, I'll..."  
  
Angela finally managed a timid smile.  
  
"I'll come with you. I can always do my homework while you play."  
  
Fareeha smiled happily.  
  
"Sure!"  
  
Angela turned around and walked next to Fareeha, close enough that if the taller girl hadn't been carrying her bag in her right hand Angela could have taken it. Not that she would have, but she liked the thought of them being close nonetheless. Fareeha was just thinking that she would have to play twice as hard as usual, just to impress the blond.  
  
Hanzo passed them in a hurry, as he was straight up running through the empty corridors. He pushed the door open, and ran through the parking without a single care in the world for cars passing by. He rushed to where he had left his car in the morning, only to find that it was gone. He knew it already, but wouldn't quite believe it until he saw it with his own eyes. He huffed angrily, and took his phone out of his pocket, speed dialing the number of the car thief. Of course, he was redirected to his voice mail, but he left a message nonetheless.  
  
"Genji, you better come back here and bring me my car, or at least pick me up, because I am not walking home! And you can bet dad will hear about this!"  
  
He huffed once again as he hung up, and crossed his arms. He knew Genji wouldn't come back for him, just like he knew he would probably walk home this afternoon. And all of that because of his stupid brother.  
  
A motorbike parked beside him, and Jesse cut the motor before extending the stand.  
  
"Hey, Hanzo, what happened to your car? Thought you'd parked it here this morning."  
  
"Yes, I had. Genji stole my keys during P. E. and went gods knows where with it."  
  
"Too bad. Want a lift home? I got a spare helmet."  
  
Hanzo considered the other man for a few seconds before he nodded. What other choice did he have anyway?  
  
"Sure, thank you. I hope I am not too much of a burden."  
  
"Oh no, it's fine."  
  
Jesse stood up and opened the seat of the bike, taking the second helmet out and handing it to Hanzo.  
  
"You can put your bag in if you want."  
  
"Oh no, I'll keep it."  
  
"Suit yourself."  
  
Jesse closed the seat and sat back on it. Hanzo nimbly put the helmet on, and hesitantly took a seat behind Jesse.  
  
"You better hold on." the taller guy warned.  
  
Hanzo tentatively placed his hands on Jesse's waist, and Jesse put his visor down before turning the bike on. As they quickly drove away from the parking, Hanzo really hoped Genji would come back to pick him up, and wait for a good hour before he realized Hanzo was already home, playing his favorite video game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank I_am_a_Lover_not_a_Hater and iHMbPHRXLCJjdgGD for leaving comments. And yet, it's an interesting but weird story, you'll see what I mean in no time!


	3. The Doctor is in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angela wakes up at three a. m. after she's made quite the dream.

**Chapter 2**  
  
The Doctor is In

  
  
There was so much blood, and nothing Angela could do about it. Her tiny hands could only press on one gaping wound when her mother had three. She wanted to press on all of them, and her father's too, but it was too late for him, she knew. Amidst her teary eyes, she could see her mother's conscious fading with each passing seconds, and there was nothing she could do. Yell for help, perhaps, but her pleads stayed unanswered. So she tried, one more time before it was too late:  
  
"Help! Someone help!"  
  
Her watery voice, even as she shouted at the top of her lungs, could only travel so far, and barely passed the door. But someone would come, she trusted. Someone would see the blood, and the busted door, and the bullet holes in the walls, and they would come.  
  
"Angela..."  
  
She looked away from the door, and to her mother. Tears had filled both of their eyes, and Angela only saw the blurry figure of her mother through them. To her mother, Angela was also a blur, but for a different reason. She held out a bloody hand, to caress her daughter's cheek one last time. The light in her eyes disappeared, but Angela didn't notice it. Instead, she felt her mother's soft grip on her cheek slacken, and her hand fall.  
  
"No... N... No... Mum! Stay with me! Mum..."  
  
Angela pressed harder on the wound, not realizing that it was too late, not believing it.  
  
Someone did come, an hour later or so, only to find Angela still desperately pressing on her mother's wound, which had stopped bleeding a long time ago, just like Angela didn't have any tears to spill anymore.

* * *

  
  
Longs days of study and even longer nights, practical work and class work, and even simulations. Nothing could have prepared her for the slaughter that was a battlefield. Her hands spent so much time over wounds, and in them, that she knew they had forever taken the smell of rusted copper. And when she wasn't working at the pathetic excuse they called a base of operation, which was nothing more than a few tents, she was on the field, running behind soldiers, avoiding bullets to the best of her ability. She stopped when she could, and even then stopping meant that she was fixing someone. A squad member, and civilian, sometimes even herself.  
  
She would always remember the first time she took a bullet to the torso. It was right under her sternum, straight through her diaphragm. Less than an inch short of the aorta, which, should it had been touched, would have killed her on the spot, in a pool of her own blood. She tried not to think too much about it when Lieutenant Wilhelm carried her back to camp. She was lucky, though. Her lungs where okay, her liver had been barely grazed. She should have been happy. Her heart was okay. Physically speaking, of course. Her heart had not been okay in a long, long time. And with each passing battle, with each soldier she couldn't reach in time, it crumbled even more.  
  
Genji gave her hope once again. Saving his life when he was in such a dire condition was nothing short of a miracle. But it didn't last. Tracer would have been a failure without the help of Winston. Ana, she wasn't even there to help. And then Zürich. Jack, she couldn't find in the wreckage, even though she searched until it became useless. Gabriel, she tried, but, it was a mistake, one she regretted her entire life.  
  
Time passed, things settled, and she became tired of the nothing. Fixing someone's heart was nothing compared to removing a bullet from a shoulder while being gunned down by a bastion unit. She thought she would appreciate the calm since the bloody battles and the losses had reminded her so much of her parents, but it was in those calm moments that she realized how much she missed them. She knew there were a few things wrong with her, but it was nothing she couldn't drown in work.

* * *

  
  
Then, the Recall happened. Fareeha happened. The calm was gone, and she chose that time to fix the broken pieces of herself, amidst more bloody battles, and more losses. And surprisingly, it worked. Because Fareeha was there, mostly. Until she wasn't.  
  
Never in her wildest dreams would she had imagined what was waiting for them, hidden behind an eye, and a conspiracy Sombra had been digging through for the past ten years. Never would she had imagined seeing Talon and Overwatch collaborate. It would be the first time and the last. They'd been ambushed by an army of omnics before they could disable the machine, and then all of the healers in their team was not enough to save everyone. She couldn't quite remember how she'd lost everyone else. Bullets, explosions, blade strikes. But Fareeha she knew, it would be embedded in her heart for the next hundred lifetimes to come. They were flying over the room, Pharah blasting the omnic army pouring through the doors with her rockets, and Mercy, boosting her. There had been a few explosions close to them until one had come too close. Pharah had tried to protect her by taking the rocket directly. The blast had pushed Mercy to the ground and blasted Fareeha against the wall, where her suit had set on fire. She didn't yell in pain, Angela assumed because she was already dead, but there was nothing she could do but watch her girlfriend's body burning.  
  
Her ribs she had broken some time later in the battle, after being blasted against a wall, and falling strongly on the concrete ground. For the rest, it had been a blur.

* * *

  
  
Angela was in a room of light, contemplating her hands. Hers had never been soaked in blood, or in nothing more than a paper-cut. She was trembling from all that she'd seen, and her knees threatened to give under her. What had been that dream that she hadn't left yet? A life of self-sacrifice and sadness, one she hoped to never have to witness again.  
  
"I don't disagree with you."  
  
She looked to her right, and her eyes grew wide. It was her, yet it wasn't. They were the same size or would have been, if not for the heels her other self was wearing. Her other self looked older, though she couldn't pinpoint her age for certain. She was dressed almost like an angel, with wings in her back, and a halo over her head. Gone was the blood, and the wounds, and the stains on her outfit. Angela herself was still in her pajamas, a simple tee-shirt and shorts, her blond hair free. Her older self smiled, and a feeling of weirdness washed over her.  
  
"You have already had an easier life than mine, I suppose. I hope it stays that way."  
  
"I..."  
  
Angela thought longly to what she wanted to say.  
  
"I'm sorry, about everyone. Your parents, and your friends. Fareeha."  
  
Sadness passed through Mercy's eyes, and she looked down.  
  
"She's probably busy, right now. Somewhere. Maybe with your Fareeha."  
  
Angela blushed at the use of the possessive, even if she understood what Mercy meant to say.  
  
"Do you regret your life?"  
  
Mercy shook her head.  
  
"Not one second of it. Though I wish..."  
  
She let out a sigh.  
  
"In my nightstand, back in Gibraltar, there's a ring. I wanted to propose to Fareeha before the mission but I thought it would be better once this whole mess was sorted."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"It's okay. I had it coming. I'm always waiting and pushing things like there's always time. I thought there was always time. I guess I was wrong."  
  
Angela considered longly what her older self was saying. She did recognize herself in her words, how she would always wait and wait. She'd been crushing on Fareeha for a good four years now but hadn't said a thing, simply because she thought it could always wait. Graduation was only in a few months away and she still hadn't said a thing.  
  
"Maybe I should do something, then." she declared.  
  
"Perhaps."  
  
Angela looked longly at her double, then asked:  
  
"What is going to happen to you, now? Are you dead?"  
  
"I don't know. I have no idea what dying feels like. What do you think?"  
  
"I don't know either. That machine you were trying to destroy, what did it do?"  
  
"It was just another weapon of mass destructions but... I don't think it worked the way it was supposed to."  
  
Angela nodded.  
  
"I wouldn't want you to be stuck here all alone. Do you think I can come visit you?"  
  
"Who knows? Maybe Lena knows. She's been out of time for a year or so, she probably knows."  
  
Angela fell silent then, not sure what to add. She almost thought it would be the right time to wake up, and found that she didn't want to.  
  
"I don't think I want to wake up. Not after that."  
  
"That's what I thought almost every morning. I didn't want to sleep at night, too, but that's different."  
  
"I wish I could help you, you know."  
  
"I know, that how we are. We, Angela Ziegler, always trying to help others."  
  
Angela looked around the bright room, but couldn't really find an exit hole, or a door, or something which would pull her out of her dream.  
  
"I guess I should go."  
  
"I guess you should. But I have the feeling I won't be far when you wake up."  
  
"See you when I wake up, then."

* * *

  
  
Angela woke up with a start. She'd been sweating like crazy, and her mouth was dry as if she'd slept on a deserted beach in the middle of a summer day. She suddenly blinked back tears she didn't know she was holding, but decided against it and let them roll down her face. It was only three a. m., her clock told her, but she knew she couldn't go back to sleep, not right now. So she got up and sat on her chair. She opened her computer without turning the light in her room on and went online. The words omnic gave no result. Neither did Overwatch, Talon, or any other name she tried. Angela Ziegler only gave her her own Facebook page. She let out a sigh and was about to close her computer when her phone vibrated on her desk. She took it and noticed it was a message from Fareeha.  
  
Fareeha "Angela? Are you up?"  
  
Angela "Yes."  
  
Fareeha "The most amazing thing happened to me. You probably won't believe me."  
  
Angela smiled.  
  
Angela "I'm pretty sure I will."  
  
 _I know you have a high tolerance for caffeine, but shouldn't you go back to sleep?_  
  
Angela almost let out a yelp of surprise, which she caught in time by placing her hands solidly on her mouth. Once the initial shock was passed, she whispered:  
  
"Mercy? What are you doing in my head?"  
  
 _It appears your head is my new permanent residence._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank Florayna for leaving a comment. A unique story, sure. Sweet? I believe the ending is, you'll have to wait and see.


	4. Cheers, Love! The Cavalry is Here!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At three a. m., Lena wakes up after having a strange dream.

**Chapter 3**  
  
Cheers, Love! The Cavalry is Here!

  
  
For Lena, time first came to a standstill when her father died. He was a pilot, her hero, but there was nothing he could do against one too many omnic carriers. Lena would always remember coming home from school only to find two officers seating in her living room, and her mother crying in the recliner. Still, it didn't stop her from accomplishing her dream, instead, it gave it another value. She would become a pilot because he father was a pilot. And she did.  
  
She was quickly identified as the best new recruit. She had very good eyes, and quick reflexes, plus a very high tolerance to zero gravity. It wasn't long before Overwatch noticed her, and she couldn't have been more proud. When they asked her to test the Splitstream, she fearlessly accepted. Fear did come after a few months, and the closer they came to the date the more she could feel her insides shaking. Outside though, she was still as cool as could be.  
  
Finally, the day came for Tracer to enter the plane, and take off. That would be the last everyone would see her for a good year or so. Once again time came to a standstill. Tracer's hands on the controls never failed, even when the teleporting device began to shine like it shouldn't. Her eyes frantically darted between the clear sky ahead of her, and the white light beside her. Multiple alarms went uncontrollably on.  
  
"Central, I think there's something wrong!"  
  
She had yelled, although it wasn't her intention. The roaring sound of the engines and alarms made such a ruckus that she couldn't even hear herself think anymore. Her fear, however, was as silent as ever.  
  
"Tracer, this is Winston. Reduce your speed and prepare to eject."  
  
"Got 'ya!"  
  
So she did as she was asked. She slowed, and the device shone even brighter. Her right hand left the controls for the lever that would eject her seat.  
  
"Ej..."  
  
She didn't need to hear the rest. She pulled the lever, and in a flash of light the windshield opened and her seat was thrown out. She wanted to close her eyes and wait to hit the water. She kept on looking ahead, though, only to see that the plane had disappeared.  
  
"Hey, control, I think the plane just teleported without me!"  
  
No respond. She frowned. Had she lost her ear-piece in the ejection? How could she? It was under her helmet, she was sure of it. She felt something flowing around her and believed it was the wind currents. She was unhappily surprised when her seat hit land, and she fell on her back, her parachute covering her completely like a blanket. She groaned and unclasped her seatbelt. After crawling away from the parachute, she confusingly looked around. Had the winds really carried her this close to land? She'd been pretty sure she was miles away from any coast. Worst even, there wasn't any sea close to where she had landed.  
  
Her confusion didn't last, as she suddenly felt the worst sickness she had ever felt. She clenched her stomach and doubled over, and began to dry heave. Only then did she feel the ground disappear under her, and that wind again, pushing her away. There wasn't anything solid anymore, only colors and lights, and darkness, and she was floating. The pain in her stomach seemed to be the only thing anchoring her, that and the blood flowing out of her nose, and ears, and mouth. She would have taken the time to puke, but her brain could barely process what was going on. Instead, she let herself float. She didn't try to resist, what would have been the point? She just floated, lost, with only that stupid pain in her stomach, and the tears mixing with her blood.  
  
When everything had gotten cold, she'd thought she'd reached the end. That she'd bled so much, and cried so much, that death had finally come for her. Of course, it wasn't the case. She didn't know it yet, but she was in a place where death couldn't reach her. But she'd floated enough now. So she opened her eyes. For the first time in her life, she could see everything. All those images were so strong at first that they burned her mind. She'd seen it all, been everywhere, at any given time. Soon enough the images where gone, there was nothing else to see, besides the end of the universe, and how she would get out of this place. They became strings, woven together until Lena could see everything once again. That was when she saw it. Winston's lab.  
  
In her mind, it hadn't been much more than a few days, at worst. For Winston, it had been a year. A year that the Splitstream had disappeared, that Tracer had disappeared, and everyone had given up on her quite a while ago. Imagine the scientist's surprise to see, even for just a few seconds, the pilot's ghostly form in his lab. Lena was saved.

* * *

  
  
The moment she was attached to time again, she fainted. Her mind had lost its timelessness, and most of what she had seen she couldn't handle anymore. Forgotten were the end of the universe and its beginning. Back was the happy Lena, who would speed her way through the corridors, only leaving behind a ray of blue light. And back was Emily.  
  
When she was stuck floating in that zone of coldness, Emily was one of the few things she could think about. She knew her girlfriend was going to hate her for this, for disappearing so suddenly. Em had had a bad feeling about this whole thing, and once again she knew she should have listened to her. Of course, when she discovered she'd been gone for a good year, she knew she'd lost her. A year without news is a long long time, and there would have been no reason for Emily to wait for her. But she did. Their first meeting after the incident was full of tears and kisses, but they had missed each other so much it was to be expected.  
  
The second time Tracer was allowed to see Emily was after the Uprising in London. Of course, Tracer had been reckless as usual and was covered from head to toes with bandages, but she was so happy to see her girlfriend she couldn't care less. Then it became a series of battles, with Tracer coming back to her girlfriend wounded but smiling. Only a few times had she came back from a fight crying, but Emily was there to pick her up every time. After the end of Overwatch. After the assassination of Mondatta. But she had left Emily with a smile, and the promise of a date when she'd left for this final mission.

* * *

  
  
Lena was out of breath from experiencing so much, something which didn't happen often. It took her a few minutes to realized she wasn't in her room, but rather an ever-expanding one made out of light. She wouldn't have given it much thought until someone appeared beside her. Messy brown hair, orange goggles, and leather jacket. Her chrono-accelerator was still attached to her, although both of them doubted she still needed it.  
  
"Nice shirt." the older one commented.  
  
Lena looked at her shirt. She'd forgotten that she was wearing the tee-shirt she'd made for Emily and herself last Valentine's day. Hers said 'If lost return to Emily'. Emily had found it so cliché she only agreed to wear it inside, but Lena hadn't mind.  
  
"Thanks. I like your shoes."  
  
"You're the first one to ever tell me that."  
  
Silence fell between the two, as they glanced longly at each other, and around them. Finally, Lena declared:  
  
"That was pretty intense, all those things you saw."  
  
"Yeah... I'd even forgotten I'd seen all those things. It's stupid, really, but... I could have stopped it, you know."  
  
Lena nodded. The machine with the beam of light was still fresh in her own mind, and she'd hoped she would never have to see it again.  
  
"Is everyone dead? Back in your world?"  
  
"I have no idea. I... don't know. Is it better that they are, or that they're not?"  
  
"I think they aren't, and that machine failed. I think you saved them."  
  
Tracer pondered longly what Lena had just said.  
  
"I guess you're right. I just wish I wasn't dead, you know."  
  
"Maybe you're not."  
  
Tracer gave her a pointed look, and Lena conceded.  
  
"Alright, maybe you are. But you're a real hero now, you've saved everyone."  
  
While Tracer considered what Lena was telling her, the younger girl was looking around her and trying to guess where they were.  
  
"Where do you reckon we are?" she asked.  
  
"I don't know. Seems pretty empty to me."  
  
"I wonder if we're in my brain."  
  
Tracer sat down crossed legged, and Lena soon did the same, extending her legs in front of her. Tracer groaned.  
  
"Arg... Emily is going to kill me when she's going to know."  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"She's gonna cry so much..."  
  
Lena stared blindly ahead, her gaze lost in the light around them.  
  
"She'll know you saved everyone."  
  
"I don't know. Sometimes I just wish... I wish I could've quit, you know? Just to be with her, and not have to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders."  
  
Tracer passed her hand through her messy hair.  
  
"I know what you mean. This one time in elementary school I got beat up for defending a kid and Emily was so mad at me. But I just could not not do it. I just had to help him. I think we're the same. We'll always help those who can't defend themselves, even if we don't stand a chance. I think that's why Emily loves you."  
  
Tracer sighed.  
  
"I guess you're right."  
  
Lena nodded. She could already feel her eyes opening, as her mind fogged by sleep became more and more aware.  
  
"I guess I got to go. See ya' around?"  
  
"Guess so. You don't have any magazine in your head? I'm probably going to get bored."  
  
"Sorry."

* * *

  
  
Lena woke up with a start, taking in a deep breath. Beside her, Emily stirred, and her eyes fluttered open. She looked up at Lena, not sure if her girlfriend had had a nightmare.  
  
"Lena, are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I..."  
  
She turned around and looked longly at the sleepy face of her girlfriend.  
  
"Did I ever tell you how much I love you?"  
  
"Yeah, about five times a day. I love you too. Go back to sleep?"  
  
It had almost escaped Lena's mind that it was only three in the morning. Without another word, she lay back down, hugging Emily as close as she could. The redhead hummed in her arms, and Lena was happy that her girlfriend had agreed to sleep here. She smiled and closed her eyes.  
  
 _Oh, you two are just too cute._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank Kottkungen, I_am_a_Lover_not_a_Hater and Guest for leaving comments. I'm so happy everyone seems to love this story. It's funny because I've been reposting my stories from Fanfiction.net for more than a month now, and I can see which story works better on which website. This one is definitely more loved on AO3!  
> Also, in reference to your comment, Guest, I understand what you mean. The good thing about this story is that most of the characters have self-contained arcs, so if you don't like a character you should be able to skip it. It's easy, all the main characters are those who were alive at the beginning of the prologue, and the name of the chapters is one of their voice lines, so you should be able to spot who the chapter is about from miles away.  
> Anyway, I'll see you guys tomorrow!


	5. Never Second Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the morning, Hanzo and Genji have a conversation.

**Chapter 4**  
  
Never Second Best

  
  
When Hanzo woke up that morning, he knew Genji hadn't come back yet, because the shower wasn't running over some J-pop song, like it was every morning. Hanzo sat up and sighed. Where could his brother had gone?  
  
 _You have to find him._  
  
Hanzo flinched. He had forgotten about the previous night, and only half an hour of sleep had been needed. In truth, Hanzo had woken up at three a. m., strongly disturbed by what he had just witnessed. He had stared longly at the ceiling of his bedroom, his brain running wildly and preventing him from falling asleep again. All the while, Hanzo, the other one, the older one, was arguing with him that he should worry more about his younger brother. To which Hanzo replied that there was no need, since this was a normal occurrence for his younger brother, although it usually happened during the weekend. But hearing the voice of his older self only reminded him of what said older self had done, which he couldn't escape anymore as if his memories had been engraved in his own.  
  
After standing up and stretching, Hanzo grabbed his phone, only to find a text from Genji, which he had received around three a. m.  
  
Genji "We need to talk. Gym before class?"  
  
Hanzo frowned but replied a simple "Okay." before going to the shower.  
  
Since Genji had not brought his car back yet, Hanzo had to use his father's car, with driver, to his annoyance. Once the driver left him in front of the high school, he quickly made his way around the building. It was still early like it always was when he arrived. There were only a few students already waiting for class, but most of them stayed in the cafeteria until the morning bell rang.  
  
Genji was easy enough to find in the empty gym. His brother had taken residence in the tiers, laying on his back with his bag for a pillow. Hanzo wouldn't be surprised if his brother hadn't slept during the previous night. He climbed the stairs quickly and sat beside his brother's head.  
  
"Good morning."  
  
Genji finally cracked his eyes open when he recognized his brother's voice. He sat up, combing quickly his hand through his green dirty hair.  
  
"Hello Hanzo." he managed before he yawned.  
  
"You didn't sleep last night, did you?"  
  
"I probably did. Not a lot. It was... kind of hard to sleep last night."  
  
"I understand."  
  
Silence fell between the two of them as Genji changed his bag of side so that it wouldn't be between him and Hanzo. Then, he fetched in his pocket and pulled Hanzo's car keys out.  
  
"I'm sorry about borrowing your car."  
  
He handed the keys back, and Hanzo hesitated before taking them. He glanced at his brother's hand, relaxed and nesting the keys in his palm, then at his brother's face. While he didn't look remorseful, he did look tired, and on edge, like he was worried about something, and could flinch at any given moment, almost like a cat. Finally, he took the keys and pocketed them in his jacket pocket. He would put it in his bag later.  
  
"I hope you made good use of it."  
  
"Oh, yeah... we hum... we went to see this small indie band who makes Nepalese fusion music."  
  
Hanzo tried not to grimace at the description. Genji had always been into weird things.  
  
 _What is he talking about?_  
  
Hanzo chose to ignore him. Instead, he asked:  
  
"Was Zen with you?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Hanzo nodded. At least he knew his brother had stayed out of trouble if his best friend was with him. Hanzo wondered what Genji wanted to talk about, although he had an idea of what it could be. Genji tried to find a way to approach things without sounding like a madman, mostly because he wasn't sure his brother also had had a nightmare. And if he had, he didn't seem too shaken by it. Not like Genji was.  
  
"I had a nightmare last night, although it wasn't really one. I don't know how to explain, not without sounding like an idiot." Genji started carefully.  
  
Hanzo nodded.  
  
"I, too, had a nightmare. I believe we had the same."  
  
Hearing his brother confess his own nightmare made Genji's head turn so fast it hurt his neck. He looked at his older brother almost hopefully. Sure Zen had understood, because he, too, had had this nightmare of sorts. But if Hanzo also had had one, it would be much easier.  
  
 _I told you he had to have had one too._  
  
"I probably wasn't the same, but..."  
  
Genji tried to find his words. What was he afraid of? He'd been brewing over this nightmare for the past few hours, and still, he couldn't quite pinpoint what made him so worried.  
  
"But we both saw Hanzo attacking Genji." he finally managed.  
  
"I think killing, or, almost killing would be more accurate."  
  
The calmness in Hanzo's voice as he said it made his younger brother shiver.  
  
"It was true, wasn't it?"  
  
"It was, unfortunately."  
  
Genji sighed longly.  
  
"Gods, I see it every time I close my eyes. The blade cutting through my... his limbs..."  
  
Hanzo nodded slowly.  
  
"Me too."  
  
Silence fell around them once again. Hanzo pursed his lips, not sure what to add.  
  
 _Reassure him. He's afraid you might turn up like me. Tell him you won't._  
  
Hanzo nodded once again.  
  
"For what it's worth, I would never do such a thing to you."  
  
"I know you wouldn't but... that's probably what Genji thought, too... before..."  
  
Genji took in a deep breath.  
  
"Genji found it in himself to forgive Hanzo, even after all the horrible things he did to him. So I want to find it in my heart to believe you. And I feel like I can because I just can't see you being so..."  
  
"Stupid?"  
  
Genji chuckled.  
  
"No. Maybe? It's weird, isn't it? If anyone has been eavesdropping on us they probably think that we are crazy."  
  
Hanzo faintly smiled and nodded.  
  
"You're probably right!"  
  
Both brothers shared a look before smiling at one another. Suddenly someone cleared their throat. They both looked down and saw Jesse, standing at the foot of the tiers, with his usual cowboy hat on his head.  
  
"Sorry to intrude but... Hanzo, can I talk to you for a second?"  
  
Hanzo's gaze went from the Southern man to his brother. Genji smiled mischievously and stood up.  
  
"Sure, Hanzo and I were done anyway."  
  
He picked up his bag and said:  
  
"Sorry again for borrowing your car."  
  
"It's okay, I'm not mad at you."  
  
Genji winked, which made Hanzo frown and quickly jumped down the tiers. He trotted out of the gym, and Jesse waited until the younger man was gone to join Hanzo.  
  
As Jesse joined him, Hanzo was racking his memory to try and understand why the pseudo-cowboy wanted to talk with him. Sure, he had kindly brought him home the previous afternoon, but there had to be more than that. Jesse was part of the twenty-four, or so Hanzo had called them. There had to be the reason why he came to talk to him. So he thought back to Hanzo's memories. McCree had been mostly a part of them after he had joined Overwatch, and while the cowboy was insufferable, they had become somewhat friends before their last mission. At least Hanzo thought they were friends. Genji was always joking about the fact that they spent a lot of time together, but Hanzo didn't see the harm in that. They were workout partners, and shooting partners too. Sometimes drinking, but not often, since Mercy wasn't too keen on curing hangovers.  
  
Jesse sat beside him with a smirk.  
  
"He gave you back your car?"  
  
"Thankfully, yes."  
  
"So, hum, I swear I didn't overhear anything, but there's this voice in my head telling me that you know what I'm talking about."  
  
Hanzo frowned. Yeah, he knew about the voice in his head, but thankfully Hanzo was mostly a backseat kind of person, letting him be instead of talking to him non-stop, which he would not have stood more than a handful of seconds.  
  
"I know what you mean."  
  
"Alright, well, McCree asked me to deliver a message to Hanzo, and since you're Hanzo, but not the right one, I just wanted to make sure the right one was also there."  
  
"You are fortunate I understand what you mean because anyone else would have told you you are not making much sense."  
  
Jesse chuckled, scratching the back of his head.  
  
"Yeah, I know. So..."  
  
He took a deep breath.  
  
"So keep in mind that this isn't me talkin', it's McCree. God this is awkward..."  
  
 _Come on, you promised. Plus, this Hanzo ain't so bad as well. Maybe we can shoot two coins with one bullet!_  
  
Jesse took another deep breath and let out quickly:  
  
"Hanzo, McCree always had a crush on you, and he's very sad he never had a chance to tell you, because now you're both dead, and it sucks."  
  
After letting out a breath, Jesse added:  
  
"Again, his words, not mine."  
  
Both Hanzos were taken aback by the revelation. Hanzo was mostly surprised that Hanzo had never noticed, and the declaration itself made him feel strange and uncomfortable. Older Hanzo would have asked him to repeat it if he could because he couldn't believe it.  
  
 _What?_  
  
 _You heard him, McCree has a crush on you._  
  
 _It's impossible._  
  
 _Why?_  
  
 _Because..._  
  
"Hum... Hanzo? Everything okay?"  
  
Jesse was getting rather worried from the lack of response from either of the Hanzos.  
  
"Hum... he doesn't want to believe it." Hanzo clarified.  
  
After about a minute of silence, where Hanzo was trying to convince other Hanzo that it actually made sense in relation to the memories of the two of them he had seen, Jesse cleared his throat. Hanzo looked up, both his and other Hanzo's train of thought altered. After taking a deep breath, Jesse leaned forward and crashed in lips with Hanzo's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank mineral_water, I_am_a_Lover_not_a_Hater, Kottkungen and pandahuff for leaving comments. In case you were wondering, Kottkunger, I've been reposting almost all of my stories from Fanfiction.net over on AO3. I still have a few left to post but as of today, I have 19 Overwatch stories amongst other things. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you guys tomorrow!  
> P.S: Hope this chapter wasn't too much of a mess. It's easier to make the difference between Angela and Mercy than it is to make between Hanzo and Hanzo!


	6. I Don't Think so

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Satya and Symmetra are trying to get along.

**Chapter 5**  
  
I Don't Think So

  
  
This morning had been the weirdest Satya had ever experienced. First, of course, had been the realization that the very strange dream she had had the previous night was in fact, not a dream, and Symmetra was very much still in her brain, complimenting her on the way her blouses were hanged in her wardrobe. Of course, she couldn't tell anyone about what she had seen, no matter how traumatizing it was. The war. Symmetra's family always moving around. The mental bullying and conditioning she suffered at Vishkar. The sacrifice of her arm, just to be better at her job. The conspiracy, and of course Sombra. Symmetra had been pleasantly surprised to learn that her real name was Olivia. Satya had been harshly judging Symmetra because she had carelessly given up her arm. Of course, Symmetra had called her a hypocrite, because only she knew what Satya would give up to get certain things. All in all, Satya had found they coexisted poorly together.  
  
All of that weirdness was mostly forgotten by the time she had arrived at school, and at first, she didn't give much thought when she saw Lena and Emily walking in the corridor hand in hand. They were usually holding hands anywhere they went anyway. Of course, that changed when she found Fareeha nervously waiting by a locker she knew wasn't hers, right across the hall. Satya didn't really pay it much mind, but Symmetra did.  
  
_This is interesting. Is it an inter-dimensional rule that no matter which universe they found each other in,_ _Pharah and Mercy will always end up together?_  
  
Satya tried not to frown or show any sign that someone was talking to her in her mind. She carefully placed her books in her locker, and was about to close her locker when the strong voice of Angela rang through the corridor:  
  
"Fareeha."  
  
Everyone was surprised to hear her, and conversations were replaced by hushed whispers. Fareeha, who had been leaning against the lockers, suddenly stood straight. She looked in Angela's direction. The blond was obviously determinate, to the point that she looked angry. She quickly walked up to Fareeha, and took a hold of her jacket's collar, before pulling her into a passionate kiss. Of course, Satya wasn't much for public display of affection and was about to turn back to her locker, but she was fascinated by the desperation between the two, almost as if this was their last kiss before the end of everything. Of course, Satya thought back to the last mission, the one where Symmetra had had a clear view of Pharah's sacrifice. Maybe, she thought, she hadn't been the only one visited by her other dimension self.  
  
Of course, as the two girls separated the rest of the corridor clapped and wolf whistled, but Satya was already heading to her first class.  
  
The rest of the morning was weird, but only because Symmetra couldn't help but comment on anything she thought worthy of comment. The state of the classrooms, the teaching methods, the knowledge itself, and of course, Satya's lunch. Satya had tried to ignore her as best as she could, but the older woman had grown more and more distracting with every new comment she made. By the time she made her way to the library, Satya was tired, and absolutely out of focus. She found a table and sat down. Just as she was unpacking her things, she wondered why she had gone to the library in the first place. Finally, it came back to her. The presentation. She just had to wait for Amélie and Olivia to join her, and they could get started.  
  
Satya yawned, looking longly at the list of potential subjects she had made. She really hoped they had taken the time to read through it.  
  
_I have to admit some of those subjects sound quite interesting._  
  
_Like what?_  
  
_Well, I would suggest Light and atoms separation, but if you want to please Sombra, something relevant to computers would be a good way to go._  
  
_What are you talking about?!_  
  
_Oh please. We both know we have a thing for bad girls. I blame it on my own secluded education. I wonder_ on _what you could blame yours?_  
  
Satya let out an annoyed sigh. Truly, it was insufferable to have someone who knew her so well in her head. She once again tried to ignore her, and let her mind drift. Unfortunately, like it had all day, her mind could only drift to Symmetra's memories. She'd been haunted all day by the moment Symmetra had woken up without her left arm, and only a metal post embedded in her shoulder in its stead. Just the thought made her shiver.  
  
"Change of plan!"  
  
She almost jumped from her chair when Sombra's voice took her out of her thoughts. She looked up, only to find Sombra's usual smirk on her lips. She had a hand on the table and was fully leaning on it, making her, for once, tower over Satya.  
  
"Amé's not coming. She's been traumatized by one thing or another. I'll go check on her later. But! You and I have something else to do."  
  
"Yes, the presentation."  
  
"No way, Preciosa! You're in no position to focus on a goddamn presentation, primero, y segundo, I know this amazing cupcake place just a block from here."  
  
"Olivia, we have work to do." Satya tried, to counter, although the idea of eating cupcakes with Sombra didn't displease her.  
  
"I won't take no for an answer. Plus, you and I need to talk, Preciosa."  
  
Satya sighed, and after another glance toward Sombra, who was shamelessly pouting like a puppy, she packed her things.  
  
"Fine. But we better get to work tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, we'll see..."  
  
Twenty minutes later found them sitting across one another, inside the small cupcake shop, with a plastic box of twenty cupcakes in front of them. Sombra had decided to buy the biggest box, for a reason which escaped Satya. They had found a seat at a small table against the shop's window, and Sombra had already eaten two cupcakes, while Satya was debating whether she should take one, and which one she should take. After Sombra had gulped down her second she gave her a strange look.  
  
"You know you can take a cupcake, right? I'm not gonna eat all twenty. I could, but they're for sharing."  
  
Satya still stared longly at the assorted cakes, wondering if she should take one with icing on top or one with sugar paste decorations. Sombra made it easier for her by taking one randomly out of the sugar paste ones and placing it in front of her.  
  
"Eat. We won't talk until you've eaten."  
  
Satya raised a perfect eyebrow, and when Sombra smirked she understood the other girl was serious. So she began to carefully take off the wrapper.  
  
_Of course, she gave you the one with blue and white lozenges. She's not alone._  
  
"I have never seen anyone so meticulous when taking off a wrapper. You're very proper, aren't you?"  
  
Satya paused and glanced at Sombra. She was smirking. She looked back at the cupcake. It was fully unwrapped in her hand, and her fingers were lightly sinking in the chocolate pastry.  
  
_Don't do it. She's taunting you. It's what she does. Don't give her the satisfaction of..._  
  
She didn't know if it was Symmetra or her own conscious talking to her, but she ignored them. She bit in the cake with strong teeth, taking it in in almost one bite. Sombra let out a surprised yelp and began to laugh wholeheartedly.  
  
"Oh my god you are crazy. Okay, I like that!"  
  
In truth, Satya was just about to choke. She had never taken such a big mouthful of anything, and she was glad the cake was soft, or else it would have been harder to chew. She knew for a fact she probably looked like a hamster, but she didn't care, and it felt good not to care.  
  
_You are ridiculous, I hope you know that._  
  
When her mouth was finally half-full she pushed what was left of her cake in, and continue to chew, praying not to strangle herself.  
  
"So, how does it feel like to have Symmetra in your head?"  
  
Satya was suddenly choking, and began coughing frantically. Sombra only began to laugh.  
  
"Wow! I had no idea it was killing you that much!"  
  
Satya finally managed to empty her mouth without strangling herself, and Sombra handed her a water bottle which she had pulled either from her bag or had kept close to hand this whole time.  
  
"I wasn't... expecting such a direct question."  
  
"Come on, Preciosa, you know me. I don't have time to waste. So, how does it feels like?"  
  
Satya had emptied at least half of the bottle before she finally replied:  
  
"I don't know, how does it feel like to have an international wanted criminal in your mind?"  
  
"I asked first."  
  
"It's strange, I guess. I don't know. We are strangely not getting along as much as I would have assumed we would."  
  
Sombra shrugged.  
  
"Guess not anyone can be friend with themselves. But knowing the woman, it has to be tiring."  
  
Symmetra scoffed. Satya chuckled.  
  
"You have no idea."  
  
"As for the wanted criminal, it's nice. We get along just fine. Actually, she gave me the best idea. I can't tell you what it is just yet, but, it's going to be awesome."  
  
Satya crossed her arms.  
  
"Not if it's illegal."  
  
"It's not, I swear! Not every idea Sombra has are illegal, you know!"  
  
_I would like to hear one, then, because I have yet to see that._  
  
Sombra looked at the clock on the wall and sighed.  
  
"Anyway, I should go. I promised Amé I would come talk to her after school. She's probably locked in her room, in fetal position, or something. So..."  
  
She stood up and picked up her bag. As she threw it over her shoulder, she took a piece of paper out of her pocket and placed it in front of Satya. A series of numbers had been written on it.  
  
"This is for you. If you want to talk, I'm always there. I know traumas, maybe not like a shrink, but I don't think any of those idiots would believe you."  
  
She smiled, genuinely, like Satya had never seen her done before. She then took out one of the cupcake, one with icing on it, out of the box and placed it next to her phone number.  
  
"And that's for you as well."  
  
She quickly closed the box and carefully took it in both hands.  
  
"And so is this."  
  
She quickly placed a peck on Satya's cheek and walked to the exit, leaving a confused and softly smiling girl behind her.  
  
_Wow. You are even more whipped than I thought. I never thought that was possible, but with the both of us, I should know to expect the unexpected._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank Kottkungen, I_am_a_Lover_not_a_Hater and Mercurytail for leaving comments. You have completely understood the concept, Mercurytail, don't worry. All the Overwatch heroes are now stuck in their Modern AU counterpart, and the only thing they can do is talk to them in their minds. They're kind of like their backseat drivers now.


	7. Let Them Eat Cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amélie is slowly driven mad by Widowmaker's mind.

**Chapter 6**  
  
Let Them Eat Cake

  
  
Amélie had spent the entire day staring into the nothingness, in the darkness of her room. Almost everything she had seen she'd wished to unsee, not a single thing she wanted to keep. Widowmaker's time as a ballerina was boring and noninteresting, but the way she pushed herself to always be better was something that would stick with the sniper all her life. Her married life wasn't bad, per say, but it was nerve wrecking, and Amélie wondered how Widowmaker could stand it more than a few weeks. Living her life for months on end with barely any news from Gérard, when he was in the middle of a war zone, was unthinkable to Amélie. Widowmaker had pulled it off for almost ten years before Talon captured her.  
  
Talon was a whole trauma unto itself. It was what haunted Amélie every time she closed her eyes, or so much as blinked. It was what she heard in her ears, like a looping sound. The sound of people rewiring Widowmaker's brain, making her who she was meant to be. Beeps and flashing lights and words and needles. It was a hospital bed with leather straps to contain her, to the point they would prevent her from breathing. It was a prison cell with barely enough space to move, where she could only wait and tremble with every explosion, and every gunshot she heard.  
  
Overwatch freeing her was a few seconds of respite in a life of violence. Gérard's death was easy, compared to what was to come. Now that she was dead, or so she insisted, Widowmaker's memory was back. Amélie wished it hadn't, that it had stayed locked in her mind for the rest of eternity. Slitting Gérard's throat with a kitchen knife had been easy because the poor soul had fallen asleep with a smile on his face, happy to have his wife back. Happy that she was safe and sound. His eyes had opened when he had felt his hot blood drowning his lungs. There was only confusion in them. Amélie sobbed at their sight every time that memory came back to her. He never understood what was happening to him, why he was suffocating in a pool of his own blood, while his beloved wife was staring at him, emotionless, a bloody knife in her hand.  
  
But what Amélie dreaded the most, in that loop of nightmares, was Widowmaker's transformation. More conditioning, more beeps, and flashings lights. More physical transformation. Unloading her rifle on living targets for days on end, never flinching at the sound of the bullet, or the pleads of her victims. More needles, always more, filling her up with poison that could have killed her. They both wish it had.  
  
Then came the missions, and the love for a good kill. Amélie hated it more than anything, and Widowmaker mocked her for it. So many targets meeting a grizzling end. And every failure was rewarded by more conditioning. Of course, there was always something they couldn't take away from her, but that she kept deep, deep within her, and only let out when she was alone, and away from Talon's claws.  
  
Amélie had spent the day feeling sick and on the verge of tears, trapped in a loop where one memory brought out another, which brought out another, and thus she saw Widowmaker's life again and again. She had been so focused on it she had forgotten to eat all day, and had only moved to sit against the corner of her room, making herself small, and insignificant, and forgotten, so that Talon wouldn't find her, too.  
  
"Hey, Amé!"  
  
She flinched, finally taking herself away from Widowmaker. Sombra was crouching beside her, with an uncertain expression on her face.  
  
"You look like you just got possessed."  
  
"Fuck you!"  
  
Sombra smirked.  
  
"And you're back! Good!"  
  
She stood up and took the plastic box that was resting on Amélie's bed. She placed it in front of the taller girl and said:  
  
"Here, I brought you a snack, since I guessed you've probably been beating yourself up all day."  
  
Amélie looked at the box where only a handful of cupcakes were gone. She took one and proceeded to eat it while quickly taking the wrapper off. Sombra, in the meantime, opened her curtains and her window to let some light and some fresh air inside. She then sat at her desk table and turned it until she was facing her. Amélie indulged in her snack for a good ten minutes, gulping down cupcake after cupcake. She had forgotten how hungry she'd been all day, but the sugary pastries had refreshed her mind.  
  
"So, I'm guessing araña hasn't been so nice to you, has she?"  
  
Amélie looked up.  
  
 _Ah, nice? Oh Sombra, you should know me better than that. I have been nothing but truthful._  
  
"She's... awful, really."  
  
 _How dare you say that!_  
  
Amélie visibly cringed, almost as if she was afraid Widowmaker would send another awful memory her way.  
  
"Bet her life was awful." Sombra continued. "That's why she was so cold."  
  
This time Widowmaker didn't make a comment, and Amélie took that much-needed silence to eat more. Sombra stayed quiet for a moment, leaning in her seat, her elbows resting on her knees. Amélie continued to eat until she was tired of the taste of sugar. She closed the plastic box and placed it on her bed once again. Finally, she stood up and almost fell. Staying in the same position all day had not been good for her legs. She sat on her bed, closer to Sombra, with the Latina still towering over her. Thanks to her she already felt a little better.  
  
"Amé, would you mind if we talked to her. From one internationally wanted criminal to another."  
  
Amélie was at first confused, not sure how Widowmaker and Sombra could talk until Widowmaker declared:  
  
 _Sure, why not. It's not like I have better things to do!_  
  
"She's okay with it. So am I."  
  
Sombra nodded, and waited silently for a few seconds before she declared:  
  
"Araña, Sombra is giving you a warning. Don't traumatize Amé more than you already have."  
  
Widowmaker scoffed.  
  
 _Or what? Like I give a damn about your warnings. You can't reach me anymore!_  
  
Amélie sighed. Sombra should know better than threaten Widowmaker.  
  
"She said she doesn't care about Sombra's warning."  
  
 _And since when do you care about others, miss I prefer to work alone?_  
  
Amélie didn't have time to pass over the comment, as Sombra declared:  
  
"Okay, listen. We both know you don't want her to end up like you. You wanted to be human, didn't you? Then she's your chance to be human again. I mean, yeah, she's barely more emotional than you, but it's an improvement."  
  
"I'll take that as a compliment." Amélie scoffed.  
  
"Your welcome."  
  
Widowmaker was silent for another minute as if she was thinking what to answer.  
  
 _Then what would you have me do? Not like I can just leave her alone. I have tried, believe me._  
  
"She asks what she should do."  
  
Sombra smirked.  
  
"First, keep your memories to yourself. We know you're happy to have them again, but don't go traumatizing Amé. Second, show a bit more emotions, maybe?"  
  
Widowmaker made a sneering sound.  
  
"Finally, say what you have to say."  
  
Both Amélie and Widowmaker frowned.  
  
 _And what is that suppose to mean?_  
  
Sombra seemed to sense the sniper's confusion, as she continued:  
  
"Talk to the others. Apologizes if you want to, say what you have to say to them. You'll feel better afterward, you'll see."  
  
 _And why should I apologize? Is that how you became such a great mediator, Sombra? You talked to people! No, there must be a trick. There's always a trick with her._  
  
"She thinks there's a trick."  
  
"Oh, araña, do you really think so little of me? Fine. But you better get ready, cause I'm working on something big, and if you're not ready to talk, you're not gonna like it, chica."  
  
 _Oh please! The last time you prepared something big, we all died. I don't think you can do better than that!_  
  
"Anyway, Amé, if you want to talk, I'm here. It'll be my pleasure to listen. Plus Sombra is curious about some of the things Widowbitch did, so you know, you would entertain her as well, and I like to keep my Sombra entertain."  
  
Amélie managed a small smile, and Sombra extended a hand for her to take.  
  
 _Oh please, like I would ever say anything to you!_  
  
Amélie got up, and Sombra stood as well. She picked up her bag she'd left on the bed, and declared:  
  
"You can keep the cupcakes, I've had enough for a day."  
  
"Thank you. And for taking me out of my trance, as well."  
  
"No problemo. Hey, you should talk to her, maybe you can convince her."  
  
Amélie shrugged.  
  
"I don't think so. Widowmaker does what Widowmaker wants. What is this big thing, anyway?"  
  
"Not telling you just yet, don't want to disappoint. I should get back to it, actually."  
  
"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"You better. We have a presentation to start, and Satya is going to be pissed if we don't."  
  
"Oh, right."  
  
Just as they were walking down the stairs so she could accompany her to the door, Amélie suddenly realized something.  
  
"How did you get into my house in the first place?"  
  
"I don't reveal my secrets, chica."  
  
"You're not a magician."  
  
"If you say so..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank pandahuff, I_am_a_Lover_not_a_Hater, Kottkungen and a Guest for leaving comments. Now you know what happened to poor Amélie.


	8. Mess with the Best, and Die like the Rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sombra and Olivia put their plan into action

**Chapter 7**  
  
Mess with the Best, and Die like the Rest

  
  
There wasn't much to say about Sombra's life. Nothing that Olivia could find interesting anyway. She'd lost her parents during the war, learn how to hack on her own, and grew up to become an internationally wanted criminal. If anything, Olivia was only impressed by the fact that Sombra had managed to keep her teddy bear in a good condition for about thirty years. That was impressive, seeing as hers already had the fur on the back of its head shredded. So when they finally met face to face, in that big bright room, Olivia hadn't much to say, besides:  
  
"I always thought being a wanted criminal would give you an exciting life, but I guess I was wrong."  
  
"Ah! Your one to talk, pequeña Sombra!"  
  
They both crossed their arms, locked in a staring contest until Sophia asked:  
  
"So, what does it feels like to send twenty-three people to their death? You couldn't even save yourself."  
  
"Then it makes it twenty-four. To be honest, I would have hoped for less. Maybe just fifteen? But I would do it again if I had to."  
  
"Like that helped."  
  
"As anyone ever told you you were annoying, pequeña?"  
  
"That nice, coming from someone as annoying as you, Sombra!"  
  
Silence fell around the both of them, and Sombra smirked.  
  
"Are we done guilt-tripping each other?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
"Cool."  
  
Sombra let herself fall to the ground, her legs stretched in front of her, her weight resting on her hands behind her. Olivia sat beside her in almost the same position, but with her legs slightly bent. Sombra let out a sigh.  
  
"But seriously, qué demonios is going on? Where are we?"  
  
"No sé. The last thing I remember is falling asleep."  
  
"Yeah, I saw that, and probably the rest of your life too."  
  
"And I saw yours."  
  
"What did you thought?"  
  
"It was okay, I guess."  
  
"Okay? Pequeña you are insulting me!"  
  
Olivia smirked.  
  
"Okay, there was a few hardcore moments, but most of the time it was just you in front of a computer."  
  
"Yeah, cause it was so different for you!"  
  
Sophia shrugged.  
  
"Then that means we aren't so different after all. I mean besides the wanted criminal thing. And that sick spinal computer. Do you think I can get one?"  
  
"Doubt it. And I wouldn't advise it. It fucking hurts."  
  
"Yeah, I gathered that much."  
  
Sophia contemplated longly Sombra's intricate costume and those cables around her head, and she wondered suddenly if they'd been only attached to her skin, or dug through her skull. Sombra had been out through most of the procedure, but the pain she suffered through while her body adjusted to her new appendixes was enough to make anyone pass out. Sombra included. Sophia knew it now.  
  
"About the last mission..."  
  
Sombra's voice was somewhat shaky, and Olivia looked at her eyes. Gone was the unbreakable confidence and cockiness. Sombra was visibly about to cry, something she hadn't done since the death of her parents when she was seven.  
  
"I'm sorry I said you sent twenty-four people to their death."  
  
"Oh, it's true alright. But you know what the worst part is? I would really do it again. I mean, more prepared and with a better plan, but I would do it again."  
  
"I know you would. But I don't think the others blame you for it."  
  
"Well if they did, they can't really express it right now."  
  
Olivia thought longly as she elaborated a strange theory.  
  
"Maybe they all met with their version from this world? I mean, I know a bunch of the people you knew. Maybe they all met?"  
  
"And now I'll have forty-six people after me! I hope you run fast."  
  
Olivia shrugged. She wasn't too worried. Most of the time when people were angry with her, she just tricked them into thinking they were angry with someone else. But maybe this time it would be harder to do.  
  
"If they really were with their double, and you could apologize to them, would you do it?"  
  
Sombra gazed silently at the horizon for a few seconds, before she nodded slowly.  
  
"Probably. That would be a first time for me!"  
  
"I mean, all you wanted was save the world. You had no idea it would be that hard."  
  
"Who cares? What's done is done. I made a choice, now I got to live with it. That's how I've always rolled, that's how you roll."  
  
"Alright. But if anyone comes to beat the shit out of me tomorrow I'll apologize on your behalf."  
  
Sombra let out a single chuckle.  
  
"Ah! Might not be enough, pequeña!"  
  
Olivia smirked and crossed her arms to hold one of her knee close to her. She began to feel tired and wondered if she would go back to sleep soon, or if she was still asleep, and this was all a dream. She hoped it wasn't. She hoped this Sombra wasn't a figment of her imagination, and they could keep talking for a long time. There was this sort of understanding between them, something Olivia had never felt before. Behind their words, there were a thousand other hidden, and only them could understand what those words were.  
  
With a smirk, Sombra decided to change the subject:  
  
"So, I guess you are into smart-ass too. But I guess that's because she simply has a nice ass."  
  
Sophia grimaced.  
  
"Okay, that was bad. That was..."  
  
"No, I think it was pretty accurate, actually. Or maybe you don't spend enough time staring at it to notice."  
  
"I thought you've been in my head? You should know P. E. classes are going to be the death of me."  
  
"Oh yeah, long legs. I know. Been there. Not done that though. So wish I had."  
  
Sophia laughed.  
  
"Guess I'll have something you never will."  
  
"Oh please! We're the same. What yours is mine."  
  
"Okay, so how come I don't get a spinal computer, then?"

* * *

  
  
A little less than a week had passed since that night, and things were pretty much going back to normal. Although the rest of the school was still a bit perturbed by a few things. Angela and Fareeha were going out now, which any idiot could have predicted long-time coming. Hanzo and Jesse were quite awkward around one another, which everyone thought was weird. Except for Genji, he thought it was ridiculous. Finally, Satya was tired and had lost a lot of her usual focus. But, just as Symmetra had said, she was "kindly adjusting" to the situation. And with the bit of practice she'd had, she could now tune out most of her comments.  
  
The day was only beginning when Sombra came to talk to her at her locker, a bunch of letters in her hands.  
  
"Hey there. Long time no see."  
  
"We worked on the presentation yesterday afternoon, Olivia."  
  
"I know. It's been fourteen hours. That's too long without seeing you, Preciosa."  
  
Sombra completely ignored the blush on Satya's cheek as she looked for the right envelope, and sorted it at the top of her pile, so she knew it was there. With a smirk she declared:  
  
"Anyway, remember that big thing I was talking to you about? Well, it's ready. Kinda. This is your invitation to it. There's a map, but I doubt you'll get lost. So, I'll see you this afternoon."  
  
Satya frowned but accepted the letter. It was completely blank, except for her name written messily on it.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Just open it and you'll see. I do hope you'll come, cause there'll be more cupcakes!"  
  
On those words, she turned around and walked away in the corridor, looking for someone else who she had to give a letter to. Satya contemplated the letter a bit longer before she finally closed her locker and decided to find someplace calm to read it.  
  
Satya soon found herself seated on the tiers outside, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She had been playing with the envelop's lid for the last minute or so. While she was curious as to what Sombra had to say, and what this big plan was, she had felt her nervousness grow as soon as she had sat down. Sombra was not the kind of person to write things down. She liked to talk face to face. Satya had understood that after she had texted Sombra once, and the Latina had called her back, instead of texting her back.  
  
 _Please Satya, open it._  
  
With slightly trembling fingers, she tore the paper glued together and opened the envelope. Inside, there was only a letter, neatly folded in half. She took it out and placed the envelope beside her, unafraid that it could be carried away by the wind, or uncaring perhaps. She readjusted her glasses up the bridge of her nose. As soon as her eyes landed on the messy scribble Sombra had written she couldn't focus on anything else.  
  
Satya,  
  
This is an official invitation to the first (and probably last) session of the Overwatch club. This session will all be about Sombra apologizing to everyone individually because that's the only thing reasonable to do at this point. So you are invited to join this apologizing session this afternoon at four p. m. in the empty club room at the end of the basement corridor.  
  
Just in case you decide not to come, Sombra still wants to apologize. Symmetra, I'm sorry I showed you the truth. Maybe if I hadn't, you wouldn't have left Vishkar for Overwatch, and you would still be alive. Or maybe you don't regret leaving? In that case, I'm happy I helped you, although it was still because of me you died. Also, I wanted to apologize for all the teasing and flirting and checking out. I did that a lot, maybe you didn't notice. Anyway, I wish we had had more time, maybe we could have become friends or more? I really wanted to be more, and I'm sorry I never got a chance to know you better. Anyway, again, I'm sorry I asked you to help me, and now we're both dead. I deserved it, you didn't.  
  
Sombra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank florita2901 for leaving comments. Mi Espanol es un poco oxida, pero comprendo la mayor parte de tus commentes.  
> Anyway, The Overwatch Club starts tomorrow! It was supposed to be the name of the story, but it didn't fit the tone at all. Good thing I changed. Anyway, I'll see you guys tomorrow!


	9. We are Overwatch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the first meeting of the Overwatch club!

**Chapter 8**  
We are Overwatch

  
After placing the last chair, Sombra thought she would fall on it to breathe a little before everyone else got here. But the nervous bubble in her stomach wouldn't let her. Standing up was okay, but as soon as she tried to sit she felt acid climbing up her throat, and she stood up again.

  
“Honestly you are putting too much effort in a club no one is going to attend.”

  
Sombra looked away from the door and toward the small tables at the edge of the room, where Amélie had already picked a cupcake and was tearing through it one bite at a time.

  
“You came.”

  
“You dragged me. And I like those cupcakes.”

  
Sombra sighed and looked back at the door, then her phone. It was just about four o'clock.

  
_Any advice?_

  
_You're asking me for advice? I'm terrified! I've never apologized to anyone! It's one thing to do it on paper but this! ¡Esto es loco!_

  
_As long as you don't go blank on me, we're going to do great._

  
After a few seconds of silence, Sombra added:

  
_I feel like I'm back in India..._

  
_Oh yeah, I remember! The twelve hours stakeout._

  
The both of them were so engrossed in their thoughts they failed to notice the door opening. First, it was just a hand holding it as it was slowly pushed open. Then, Satya's head passed through the gape once it was large enough. Sombra and Olivia finally stopped arguing with each other. A smile spread on her face.

  
“Hi... hum...”

  
Satya was a bit surprised to see that besides herself and Amélie no one had joined Sombra. Maybe the others didn't carry her in their hearts, but still. She glanced longly at the twenty-four empty chairs in the room, and Amélie next to the cupcakes. Finally, she looked at Sombra, standing beside one of her chairs, her hand gripping strongly the back. For a few seconds, Sombra was afraid Satya would leave just because no one else had shown up. Her panic was a surprise to Satya, who had never seen her anything but cool, collected and calculating.

  
“Please come in! We have cupcakes, and you can pick your chair!”

  
“I noticed.”

  
Satya finally opened the door to enter, and she decided to sit down in one of the chairs opposite the one Sombra was holding, to see her better.

  
“So hum... should we start the meeting or should we wait?” Sombra questioned with pursed lips as she looked between Satya and Amélie.

  
“Probably wait. Maybe a few more people will come.” Satya suggested.

  
“No one is going to come. Let's get on with it so I can eat more of these.” Amélie declared.

  
Sombra sighed.

  
“I think she's eating to cope with the trauma,” she whispered to Satya.

  
“I heard that,” Amélie said with a mouth full of cake.

  
Satya giggled lightly, and that seemed to ease Sombra's nerves as she began to laugh as well.

  
The door opened once again, and Hana walked in, too curious as to why Sombra was laughing to notice the emptiness of the room.

  
“Hey, you alright?”

  
Sombra finally stopped and cleared her throat.

  
“Hum yes, I'm alright. You're late.”

  
Hana shrugged.

  
“I was just finishing a quest.”

  
She took a seat in one of the many empty chairs and crossed her arms and her legs, waiting patiently for the others to show up. Which didn't take long. Hana's arrival, it seemed, had caused the rest of the group to show up. First, it was Hanzo, Zenyatta, and Genji, followed closely by McCree. Then Mei. Junkrat and Roadhog had been lost on their way down, but still managed to found the door. Lucio apologized longly, because he wasn't sure he was going to come, and he felt bad for it. Lena came with Emily, and when Sombra suggested that there wouldn't be enough chairs, Lena just sat down on Emily's lap.

  
The more people arrived the more Sombra could feel her stress growing. But that was nothing, just the people from her school. Then, the adults began to show up.

  
Ana was the first to arrive, with Mercy and Pharah. Everyone seemed not only impressed to see the older woman among them but also a bit uncomfortable. Soldier 76 and Reaper arrived together, apologizing because they were at work. The same excuse came again and again when everyone else arrived. Reinhardt, Torbjörn, Orisa, Winston, Bastion, Zarya. Soon enough the twenty-four were cramped up in the small room, everyone seating in one of the chair. Amélie had to take a chair, and Sombra still hesitated longly to sit down, before she decided to stand behind it, both of her hands resting on the back.

  
When everyone was finally there and the door was closed, a heavy silence enveloped them. Now that everyone was there, they could all note how close or not they were to their counterpart. Sombra had more hair. Widowmaker wasn't blue. D.va was almost the same. Satya hadn't lost her left arm, neither had McCree lost his hand. Genji was flesh and blood, but so were Zenyatta, Orisa, and Bastion. Tracer didn't have her helix ear piercings. Junkrat was mostly sane, and Roadhog was slimmer if only a bit. Ana and Reinhardt still had both of their eyes. Angela wasn't visibly lacking sleep. No matter how small or insignificant the detail, everyone was able to compare them with the memories of the people they knew.

  
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Sombra decided to talk.

  
“Hi everyone, thank you for coming. Welcome to probably the only Overwatch club meeting. Everyone here was probably a bit shaken by what happened last week, so before Sombra starts apologizing to everyone individually, as promised if you want to talk now is the time.”

  
Everyone exchanged looks and a few mouthed sentences which Sombra, over her stress, couldn't quite understand. Finally, Reaper stood up. He was accompanied by the crisps sound of his leather jacket, and Sombra was suddenly confronted by a strange reality. This wasn't Reaper, the half-dead guy she'd loved to tease. This was Gabriel Reyes, bartender, who had never set a foot on a military base, who wore a leather jacket all day, rode a large Harley and had a cat. And he was looking at her with dark living eyes.

  
“Sombra, I think I speak for everyone when I say that you don't need to apologize. And god knows Reaper wants to see you squirm, but you don't have to. You already apologized in your letter, and I don't think anyone needs a repeat. Plus, you have nothing to apologize for. Besides the teasing, of course. This mission was your idea, yes, but it was our choice to go or not.”

  
Sombra was, at first, very surprised to hear him say that. It was a big deal coming from him, the Reaper, the guy who lived for revenge. Had he been in control of Reyes' body she thinks he would have knifed her by now. Both of them were at a lost for words. Olivia was wondering what she should say if she could speak for Sombra here. And Sombra was stunned, all of her well-planned apologies had fallen off her tongue, leaving only stuttering nothingness.

  
“I...”

  
“How about you sit down kiddo? You did a great job, not just finding us, but convincing us to come and meet. I say you deserve a rest.”

  
Everyone seemed to agree, and Sombra suddenly found herself seating down. She wasn't sure she had done it herself, or someone had forced her down. Reaper sat back down, too. Before a full silence could fall again Hana huffed:

  
“Well, I guess we came here for nothing.”

  
“Actually, D.va, there was something Soldier wanted to tell you.”

  
Jack stood up, a benevolent smile on his face, and he declared:

  
“Soldier wanted to thank you again for that time in Busan when he was wounded. Not just that, but the fact that you answered his call every time he needed you.”

  
He marked a pause.

  
“He almost came to consider you like the daughter he never had.”

  
Hana was visibly shaken by the revelation, as she waited silently for D.va to give her reply. When nothing came, Hana declared in a shaky voice:

  
“I think she's crying...”

  
Suddenly there was a snore coming from the opposite side of the room, and all looks stopped on Fareeha, who suddenly felt bad for laughing.

  
“No, it's just, Pharah thought she was the daughter Soldier never had.”

  
Everyone chuckled.

  
“I think Pharah was everyone's daughter or sister at one point or another.” Soldier declared.

* * *

  
  
The first meeting was a great success. While Sombra had reunited everyone to talk to them, instead, they talked to each other. Thinks that had been left unsaid were finally out, memories no matter how painful were shared, and it became even more complex when people talked about their week's experience with their other self inside, and said other self made their own comment on the situation. After about an hour, it was decided to end this first meeting, and a new one was planned for the next month. But the talks didn't stop there. While they enjoyed the cupcakes small groups began to form and discussed anything and everything. The only one who was strangely silent was Sombra, and a few were afraid that they had broken her. Sure, she hung with Amélie and Hana while the two girls stuffed their faces with cupcakes, but she didn't talk much. Amélie, however, and Widowmaker most importantly, had talked a lot. Now that Widow's memory of before Talon had been unlocked, there were so many things she had to say to old Overwatch members. Just like Sombra had asked her a week ago, she had talked, and both she and Amélie felt better now.

  
When people began to leave, the room emptied quickly. Soon enough Sombra was left alone with twenty-four chairs to clear. Thankfully she wouldn't have to take care of the cupcakes left since Amélie had disappeared with them. She let out a sigh and began to fold the chair she had silently sat for the entire hour.

  
“You were very silent.”

  
She suddenly looked up, only to find Satya, looking at her with an understanding look in her eyes.

  
“Sombra didn't have much to say. Neither did I.”

  
Sombra placed the folded chair against the wall, and as she grabbed another chair Satya did the same. Sombra thanked her with a nod. Together they made quick work of cleaning the room and folding all the chairs.

  
“I didn't know this room was a club room.”

  
“It's not. It's a chair closet or something.”

  
Satya couldn't help but giggle. Sombra picked up both of their bags and handed hers to Satya.

  
“So, how about we get out of this closet and find something else to do?” Sombra suggested.

  
Now that this whole meeting was over, she suddenly felt better. Satya took her bag and Sombra opened the door for her.

  
“Why, what do you suggest?”

  
Sombra closed the door behind them and they headed for the stairs side by side, their fingers brushing lightly, and sending electricity through them every time.

  
“How about tomorrow at five? I just so happen to know Thor Ragnarok is being shown just around that time.”

  
Satya shrugged.

  
“Sure, why not.”

  
_Wow, that was almost too easy. If I had known I would have asked her out ages ago!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank mineral_water and one, two or possibly three Guests (I assuming one but I might be wrong) for leaving comments. I hope I didn't disappoint. I'll see you guys tomorrow for the long epilogue!


	10. The World Could Always Use More Heroes

**Epilogue**  
  
The World Could Always Use More Heroes

  
  
Hanzo was quickly walking out of the main building and almost ran to the parking lot. Genji had just texted him that he was taking his car, again, and Hanzo felt he was pushing his luck. Unfortunately, Genji was already gone when he made it to the parking lot, and so was his car.  
  
"Goddamn it, Genji!"  
  
He took his phone out of his pocket and called his brother. To his surprise, Genji replied.  
  
"Oh, hey Hanzo!"  
  
"Genji, this is not funny! Where is my car?"  
  
"Oh, it's with me, don't worry."  
  
"Are you seriously talking to me while driving?"  
  
"Oh no, I'm not driving. I'm home, actually."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Hanzo thought a vein in his forehead had exploded under the pressure of his anger.  
  
"Genji, I am not kidding! Come back here and drive me home."  
  
"Sorry brother, no can do. But you'll thank me later."  
  
"Genji! Come pick me up now!"  
  
"Or what, you'll kill me. Ah!"  
  
Genji hung up, and Hanzo was almost tempted to throw his phone in the trash. Suddenly someone cleared their throat beside him. He looked up and froze. Jesse was standing there with a smile on his face and his cowboy hat on his head.  
  
_It's a trap! Run!_  
  
Jesse was visibly nervous, as he kept readjusting his hat and tugging on his jacket's sleeves.  
  
"Hey, Hanzo. Sombra gave me the address of the place she bought those nice cupcakes from yesterday. You want to check it out?"  
  
"Jesse. I..."  
  
Hanzo was still very much confused by the kiss they had shared, and other Hanzo was even worst, feeling like an idiot for never noticing the other man's feeling, and prompting Hanzo to avoid the southern guy as much as possible. Jesse sighed.  
  
"Look, Hanzo. Things have gotten awkward between us, and I really want to make amend. Come with me and we can talk. I'll bring you home afterward, promise."  
  
_It's a trap! How much do you want to bet Genji is in it too! Both_ Genjis _are in it! It's my brother's revenge and your brother's betrayal!_  
  
"Alright, let's talk."  
  
Jesse smiled brightly and began to walk toward the place Sombra had told him about. Hanzo followed, and soon enough they were walking side by side.  
  
"But to be clear, this isn't a date." Hanzo suddenly added.  
  
"Course not... it's not... a date..." Jesse conceded with a pout.

* * *

  
  
"Are you sure this double date was a good idea?"  
  
"It is. Look, she's been eating nothing but cupcakes for the past week or so. Sombra said it was a good idea. Your mom said it was a good idea. Maybe it'll snap her out of her trance."  
  
"Or she'll have a nervous breakdown."  
  
"I'd rather deal with a breakdown than let her continue her eating spree!"  
  
_If I were you, I'd be careful of her anger spree..._  
  
Fareeha nodded, and her gaze fell on the door, for a sign of Amélie or her secret date. Finally, the tall girl walked in, nicely dressed as usual and perched atop high heels neither Angela nor Fareeha could ever walk with. While she certainly looked better than during those first few days after what everyone now called the Nightmare, her eyes still looked tired under all that makeup.  
  
She walked up to their table and instead of taking a seat she stood over them, her arms crossed.  
  
"Sombra said you wanted to see me."  
  
Angela smiled.  
  
"Yes. Please, have a seat."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because we are going on a double date."  
  
"Over my dead body." Amélie venomously replied. Angela almost thought Widowmaker had spoken directly through her.  
  
"Amélie, please. Fareeha has asked one of her friends to meet with us. You'll like him, I'm sure."  
  
"I don't need a man like I don't need to talk to you anymore. You may have had wings, Angela, but you are not cupid."  
  
Just as Amélie was about to turn around a young man about their age stopped by their table with a smile.  
  
"I'm sorry I'm late. I should have known taking the bus was a bad idea."  
  
_Amélie, is that who I think it is?_  
  
Amélie looked beside her, to a man smaller than herself, who she supposed she still topped even without her heels. His black hair was pulled back nicely, and it was obvious the young man took great care of his mustache. He wore a varsity jacket similar to the one every sports club member wore, although she had never seen him on the football field before. He had sparkling brown eyes, or maybe they began to spark when they looked at her. And he had a French accent.  
  
"Hi, you must be Fareeha's friend? She didn't want to tell me much about you, but what can I say, I'm an adventurer."  
  
He held out a hand.  
  
"I'm Gérard, and yes, before you ask, I'm French."  
  
Amélie tried to smile, but a blush crept on her cheeks instead. She finally took his hand in hers and declared:  
  
"Moi aussi. Je m'appelle Amélie."  
  
Gérard was both surprised and pleased. He smiled brightly as he let go of her hand.  
  
"J'aurais du m'en douter!"  
  
He then turned to Fareeha.  
  
"Is it because we're both French you thought we would make a nice couple?"  
  
Fareeha shrugged.  
  
"Amongst other things."  
  
"Amongst other things, hum? Alright. Let's order, and then we'll see what those others things are."  
  
Amélie only nodded.

* * *

  
  
Sombra held the door of the cinema as Satya and she exited the building. They passed into the cold night air, and Satya zipped her jacket up. Sombra quickly joined her and stuffed her hands in her pocket.  
  
"So, what did you think?" she asked.  
  
"First, I didn't understand everything, but that's because I've never seen the first two, and second..."  
  
"Wait, wait, wait, you've never seen any of the Thor movies?"  
  
Satya shrugged.  
  
"No, I haven't. But the movie was still good."  
  
"Of course you haven't! Alright, this is a major force case. You are coming with me, you need to see them."  
  
Satya shook her head.  
  
"Why? Are they better than this one."  
  
"Well no, but it's Thor!"  
  
"And?"  
  
"He's awesome!"  
  
"Oh please! I could probably take him down."  
  
Sombra began to laugh and had to stop walking.  
  
"You, against Thor? Now that is something I would love to see. He would crush you so hard!"  
  
Satya crossed her arms.  
  
"Okay, the first chance I get, I will fight him over you, and I will win."  
  
"Over me?"  
  
"Yes, since you seem to believe Thor is more awesome than me. I don't even know why you asked me to come watch a movie with you since Thor is better!"  
  
Before Satya could move away from her, Sombra almost pounced on her. She grabbed her jacket's collar and brought Satya down for a kiss. Satya was first surprised by the action but soon kissed the shorter girl back.  
  
_So that's what it feels like. I probably should have let her kiss me a long time ago._  
  
When the two girls finally parted, Sombra had a smirk on her lips, were Satya's was goofier.  
  
"You're the awesomest, Preciosa. Don't ever forget that."  
  
"Oh, I know. But you can keep repeating it. I won't stop you."

* * *

  
  
_You don't have to do this, love._  
  
"Are you sure you want to do it? It's probably going to hurt a lot."  
  
"Oh, I know. But I want to. As a tribute to her, you know."  
  
"What did she think of it?"  
  
Lena shrugged.  
  
"She said I don't have to, but I want to do it."  
  
Emily was seating on a small stool beside the large leather chair Lena was in. The piercing guy was preparing the gun they used to pierce through cartilage, while Lena was excitedly squirming in her chair, one hand holding Emily's. She'd decided to do the helix ear piercing like Tracer had, not just because she thought it was cool but also because she'd always wanted one and had never worked up the courage to do it. Now was the time.  
  
"Alright, so it's the left ear?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Are you ready? It's probably going to hurt a lot, so I'll do the first, and when it hurts a bit less I'll do the second, alright?"  
  
"Sure, let's do this!"  
  
The man held her ear with one hand and placed the gun where he was supposed to pierce.  
  
"Alright, last warning. Ready?"  
  
Lena gave a thumbs up, her excitement covering the nervousness rooted deep in her.  
  
"On the count to three. One... Two..."  
  
He pressed the trigger, and the needle passed through her ear.  
  
"Holy fuck!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this was the end! First, I wanted to thank I_am_a_Lover_not_a_Hater for leaving a comment yesterday, and obviously once again thank everyone who's read the story. I hope you all enjoyed it!


End file.
